WHEREAS, Campus safety policies, procedures, and practices including emergency response, law enforcement practices, crime prevention, threat assessment, and safety communications have a significant effect on students and directly shape the learning environment at California Community Colleges;
WHEREAS, Title 5 §51023.7 [1] requires that students be provided the opportunity to participate effectively in the formulation and development of district and college policies and procedures that have a significant effect on students, and campus safety decisions are inherently such areas;
WHEREAS, Safety Advisory Committees or equivalent bodies currently exist at many colleges but vary significantly in transparency, composition, and student participation, and are not consistently governed by the open-meeting requirements established under the Ralph M. Brown Act (California Government Code §54950 et seq.) [2]; and
WHEREAS, Students are primary stakeholders in campus safety yet are not always granted voting representation or a dedicated agenda space to express student concerns, and meaningful student participation increases accountability, supports equitable outcomes, and strengthens trust in institutional safety processes; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate that California community college districts formally establish Safety Advisory Committees or equivalent bodies with ongoing jurisdiction over campus safety policies, procedures, and practices;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate that these Safety Advisory Committees be recognized and treated as Brown Act bodies consistent with California Government Code §54950 et seq. [2], including compliance with open-meeting requirements such as publicly posted agendas, open and accessible meetings, and opportunities for public comment; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate that students be granted at least one voting seat on each Safety Advisory Committee, with student representatives appointed by the recognized student body association or its designee; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate that the California Community Colleges Board of Governors and the Chancellor’s Office recommend that California Community College Safety Advisory Committees include on its agenda a standing item titled “Student Concerns / Student Voice on Safety Issues” to ensure regular and ongoing student input regarding campus safety matters.
Citations:
[1] California Code, Government Code - GOV § 54950
[2] California Government Code section 54950 (2025)